Page 89 of The Divine Lies We Weave

This is who I am.

No. It’s not. You have shown kindness and strength. You said it yourself; you are not the tales they spin.

The Viperess licked her lips but let herself be sucked back into Leela’s mind like a vortex of wind. Leela was shoved forward too suddenly, and she fell back, her head knocking back against the marble flooring.

Vedant cried out as he held his twisted hand.

Leela lay gasping, staring up at the stars twinkling against the navy backdrop of inky blackness. She watched the crescent moons peer back at her like two spheres watching over the earth. For several moments, her breath came out ragged and uneven, her hands shaking at her sides and tears sliding down her face. Watching the moons eventually steadied her heart that was bashing against her ribcage.

What had she done…?

The Viperess had overpowered her. It was the worst feeling in the world—to be trapped within her mind with no means of escape. While she’d had thoughts control her before, it was nothing like having someone else take over.

“You bitch!”

Vedant stood over her with a godsblade in hand. He swung his sword down at Leela, but another weapon blocked the blade, and suddenly, Rajesh was standing over her.

“Weapon down. That’s an order,” Rajesh snapped.

“She fucking cheated! She brought the Viperess out.”

“She might not have control over that,” Rajesh said. “Leave. I’ll deal with you later.”

Vedant glared at Rajesh, emitting a low growl.

Leela continued to lie on the ground, watching the scene unfold from between his legs.

Eventually, Vedant spun on his heel and left, slamming the door close in his wake.

“Everyone out!” Rajesh yelled.

His crew scrambled for the exit, and before Leela knew it, it was only her and him and the silent night.

Rajesh sighed and ran a hand through his curls. He finally faced her with a look of indifference. “What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t,” Leela said, bored. She didn’t need to explain herself to Rajesh. She was too confused about how the situation had occurred, anyway. Yes, she had asked the Viperess to help because she was injured. Yes, she had been the one to ask the Viperess to step forward. Now, she was too scared to do anything but lie there and stare at the stars.

“Leela.” Rajesh stood over her. “Did you have any control over her?”

Leela bit her lip. She wasn’t sure herself. The warmth trailed her spine, and that was all the warning she got before the Viperess took over. If it hadn’t been for the Viperess fearing the opinion of others, Leela would still be stuck in her mind.

And she very well could be, forever. If she couldn’t control the Flame first.

Leela sat up and sighed. “No.”

“We need to train you quicker than I thought,” Rajesh said. “Because if she can control you, she can come out and maybe refuse to go back in.”

“That’s what I’m scared about,” Leela said. She snapped her gaze to his. “Why haven’t you trained me yet?”

A vein throbbed in his neck. “I have a crew to control and monsters to fight as well, Leela.”

“Am I not a priority to you? Do you want the Viperess to control me?”

Rajesh shook his head. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Blame me. I have a job, Leela.”